Steering apparatus for barges in rivers



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MURDICK LYTLE, OF ALLEGI-IENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEERING APPARATUS FOR BARG-ES IN RIVERS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 25,429, dated September 13, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .MURDICK LYTLE, of the city and county of Alleghenyand State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Method ofSteering Barges in Rivers, &c., W'hile Being Towed by Steamboats;tand Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification, in which is representeda steamboat with nine barges in tow, the center barge forward containingthe improved apparatus for steering.

The nature of my invention consists in the application of a wheel to thebow of a barge, so that said wheel shall revolve at right angles to thedirection of the barge, in combination with an apparatus for operatingsaid wheel by the power of the propelling boat, as hereinafterspecified.

The importance. of this invention consists in the fact that largenumbers of richly laden barges are lost annually in consequence of theinadequacy of the ordinary way of'steering Heets of barges simply by therudder of the propelling boat.

I am aware that the idea of using a steering wheel at right angles tothe direction of the boat, or at the bow is not new. These have beentried and found inefficient to steering a Heet of barges such as asteamer can tow, in consequence. of the power being applied near thecenter of the first barge instead of the front end of the same, as isthe case with mine.

To enable others, skilled in the art, to make and use my invention, Iwill proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A, represents a steamboat containing the propelling power of a Heet ofbarges B, two of which are placed on each side of the steamboat and fiveothers forward of these, all securely fastened together and to thesteamer.

In front of and attached to the bow of t-he middle forward barge,immediately in front of the steamer, is placed an auxiliary wheel C,which is to aid in steering the fleet in cases of high wind, in meetingwith eddies and strong currents where the ordinary rudder of thepropelling steamboat is powerless to control a larger Heet of barges.The shaft of this wheel, as well as the buckets are on a line with thedirection of the barge and consequently prevent little or noobstructio-n to the forward movement of the barge. To a crank of thisshaft D, are attached the pistons of two oscilla-ting steam engines E,E, by which the wheel is operated. These engines are worked by steamconveyed from the boiler of the propelling boat by a steam pipe F,passing forward from the boiler, in some convenient place, to the sternof the barge, where it connects with a similar pipe F, leading from theoscillating engines. These two pipes are united by a ball and socketoint G, containing a passage through the ball for the conveyance of thesteam. This-form of joint allows suflicient play without obstructing thepassage of the steam, for any lateral motion of the barge in steering,or up and down motion caused by the action of the waves. If preferred, aHexible pipe may be used of sufficient strength to withstand thepressure of the steam.

A rope or light chain H, extends from the pilot house of the steerer toa. lever I, that opens or closes t-wovalves, by which the steam is leton or off either engine, as occasion may require, thus giving the pilotcomplete control of the auxiliary wheel, to turn it either way to givethe desired direction to the Heet.

In the steam pipe near the boiler is placed a valve to shut the steamoff or on to the barge, as may be desired. This valve is operated on byan iron rod j, placed in or near the pilot house and under the controlof the pilot.

IV hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The application of a wheel C, to the bow of a barge, so that said wheelshall revolve at right angles to the direction of the barge, incombination with an apparatus for operating said wheel by the power ofthe propelling boat, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

- MURDICK LYTLE.

litnesses JAMES LITTELL, JOHN M. THoRP.

